Top 5 Symptoms of Eating Disorders

Statistics provided by the National Eating Disorder Association suggest that approximately thirty million Americans have an eating disorder.

The problem with eating disorder statistics is they are often inaccurate. This is because many who suffer from symptoms do not come forward and speak to a medical provider about their illness. As a result, many people who live each day with the symptoms associated with an eating disorder never receive a diagnosis or proper treatment.

Eating disorder symptoms can vary vastly from person to person, so fitting someone into a specific eating disorder classification can be difficult. As a result, people often live with symptoms and suffer from medical and mental health complications for an extended period to obtain a diagnosis and seek treatment.

What are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are serious behavioral conditions that disrupt normal eating patterns and cause severe disturbances in thoughts and behaviors around food. The American Psychiatric Association defines eating disorders as “behavioral conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions.” People struggling with eating disorders often fixate on food, weight, or body shape, experiencing anxiety about eating in public, specific foods, or how eating will affect them. Common behavioral patterns include restrictive eating, food avoidance, binge eating, purging, compulsive exercise, and laxative misuse.

These disorders affect approximately 5% of the population, with higher prevalence among women aged 12-25. However, eating disorders impact people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. These serious health conditions affect both physical and emotional well-being, yet often receive less attention and understanding compared to other medical conditions. It’s crucial to note that eating disorders frequently co-exist with other health conditions, including anxiety, depression, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, diabetes, heart conditions, and bone and muscle disorders.

What Are The Top Five Eating Disorder Symptoms?

The top five eating disorder symptoms include severe body image disturbance, compulsive eating behaviors, significant weight fluctuations, compulsive exercise patterns, and deteriorating physical health conditions. These symptoms can manifest through unrealistic self-perception, restrictive or excessive food intake, unexplained weight changes, over-exercising, and various medical complications. Please refer to our comprehensive list below for a detailed understanding of how these symptoms may indicate an eating disorder.

• Distorted Perception of Body Image: Individuals may have an altered sense of their body size or shape, often believing they are too “fat,” too thin, or do not “look” right. This distorted body image is a common symptom across various eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, leading to unhealthy eating behaviors.
• Abnormal Eating Patterns: This includes unhealthy eating behaviors such as excessive calorie restriction (as seen in Anorexia Nervosa), binge eating (common in Binge-Eating Disorder), selective eating (omitting specific food groups), or consuming non-food items (as seen in PICA). These abnormal eating patterns are indicative of disordered eating.
• Dramatic Weight Change: Noticeable fluctuations in weight, whether excessive weight loss (often seen in Anorexia Nervosa) or weight gain (common in Binge-Eating Disorder), are significant symptoms. These changes are often accompanied by clothing changes to hide these fluctuations.
• Excessive Exercise: Engaging in extreme amounts of physical activity to control weight or burn calories is a common behavior in individuals with eating disorders, particularly in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. This excessive exercise can be detrimental to both physical and psychological health.
• New or Worsening Physical Health Conditions: Ongoing disordered eating behaviors can lead to various medical issues, including serious health complications that may arise over time, such as cardiac problems or other emergencies. These health consequences are a critical concern for individuals suffering from any type of eating disorder.

What are the Most Common Eating Disorders?

The three most common and familiar eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. There are undoubtedly other diagnosed eating disorders that are equally as detrimental to the health of the individual who suffers from them and are not to be considered less concerning or of minimal importance.

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality (rate of death) rate of any mental illness. Estimates suggest that .05 and 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia nervosa at some point in their lifetime. Several research studies estimate that approximately one percent of female adolescents and teens have anorexia, although this number is likely higher. The average onset for anorexia nervosa is around the same age as puberty, meaning this eating disorder may provide a significant challenge to teens at a critical time in their development. 

A study conducted in 2003 found that individuals with anorexia nervosa are approximately 56 times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not struggle with this disorder. The same survey suggests teens (and young adult) women with anorexia are twelve times more likely to die (either from self-harm or complications associated with the illness) than other females of the same age without anorexia nervosa.

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia nervosa:

• Extremely restricted eating
• Intense and excessive exercise
• Extreme thinness (emaciation)
• Relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a healthy weight
• Intense fear of gaining weight
• Distorted body image or self-image
• Denial of the seriousness of low body weight

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia affects approximately two to three percent of women in their lifetime. In men, the most commonly reported statistics show bulimia affects roughly .05 percent of men. Bulimia is about nine times more likely to occur in women than men and is more common in young women and teens. The mortality rate associated with bulimia is approximately four percent. 

Signs and Symptoms of Bulimia nervosa:

• Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as:
  • Throwing up
  • Taking laxatives
  • Exercising excessively
  • Fasting

Binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder is statistically the most common eating disorder in the United States and is more prevalent than anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Binge eating disorder affects approximately 3.5 to 5 percent of women and 2 percent of men, and thirty to forty percent of those seeking weight loss treatments.

Signs and Symptoms of Binge-Eating Disorder:

• Eating unusually large amounts of food in a short time
• Eating rapidly during binge episodes
• Eating even when full or not hungry
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating alone or in secret to avoid embarrassment
• Feeling distressed, ashamed, or guilty about eating
• Frequent dieting without weight loss

What Treatments for Eating Disorders Are Offered at The Los Angeles Outpatient Center?

The Los Angeles Outpatient Center offers multiple evidence-based treatments for eating disorders. These treatments include Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Family-based therapy (FBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Each treatment is provided as part of a comprehensive care approach that combines therapy, medical monitoring, nutrition education, and medication when necessary.

Here’s what each treatment offers:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT treats eating disorders by addressing thoughts, behaviors, and feelings connected to disordered eating. Therapists help patients develop healthy eating patterns while teaching them to identify and modify harmful thought patterns.
• Family-based therapy (FBT): FBT equips family members with strategies to support their loved one’s recovery. This treatment especially helps parents guide their children toward healthy eating patterns and weight maintenance.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT focuses on behavioral change rather than thought modification. Patients learn to align their actions with core values while accepting that emotional challenges are part of recovery.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT offers evidence-based treatment for anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. This approach prioritizes developing practical skills to replace disordered eating behaviors.
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: This treatment addresses the underlying causes of eating disorders by examining internal conflicts and unconscious motivations, helping prevent relapse by resolving root issues.

The safest and most effective way to overcome an eating disorder is to seek help at a professional treatment program like The Los Angeles Outpatient Center. Eating disorders will not resolve on their own, and to date, there is no “cure” or medication one can take. If you or a loved one has an eating disorder, seeking therapy to learn how to manage your symptoms, triggers, and other stressors that may lead to a relapse in harmful eating behaviors is crucial to maintaining lasting health and wellness. To learn more about treatment for eating disorders in L.A., contact a member of our treatment team today to learn more about our programs and how the caring and compassionate team at The Los Angeles Outpatient Center can help you take the first steps towards recovery.

---